Worrying Time

You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it. Matthew 6:27 ERV

It started off as a slight concern, and has now gone through all the following stages until it has become a full blown anxiety. I know this verse and have quoted it often as a way to defuse other people’s fears and worries, but…. Well that’s the problem, it’s the word BUT!! What about now? What about my fears? My suspicions? What if I do nothing, and something bad happens to a loved one this time? How could I possibly live with myself?

Harm comes in many forms and from many sources, but one that doesn’t get much airtime is the harm that affects the eternal destiny of the harmed one(s). Can I afford to play along and pretend all is well, when I am growing more and more uncertain that all really is well? For me, it has changed from a game of hide and seek, to one of hide and hide and hide again.

Meanwhile we all play our part in the theatre of life. The ones who harm, the ones harmed, and those watching from the gallery. In truth there are almost certainly more than a few who see the signs, question the life and lifestyle of the harmer, and still don’t know what to do that would solve the problem, or even reduce the harm done. It is difficult not to worry about the ones you love, and that makes it hurt!

The Bully

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 ESV

Sam was always a problem through Primary School, and now into 2nd year of High School nothing had changed. Most of his classmates had come through the school system with him so they knew Sam well, and for that reason he was avoided like the plague. For some reason I seemed to be his primary target and I didn’t know why.

It was during a class field trip that it happened. No one wanted to walk with him as we trekked over the Scottish hillside, so Sam was left at the back of the bunch on his own. We were walking along a narrow, but easily passable and safe path with a steep hill on one side, and an equally steep drop on the other. Sam was messing around trying to make his presence heard as usual, but no one was paying attention. Then he slipped and fell, rolling down the steep grassy slope, his fall only stopped by a large boulder some 20 feet below.

The rest of the class quickly formed a human chain, linked by each hand to get Sam on his feet, and so helped him clamber up the slope to safety. The teacher was impressed, and quite honestly, we were too. He was a bully. No one like him. He was his own worst enemy, and got along with no one. That seemed to make the class action more significant in Sam’s mind. “Whose idea was that?” he asked. At first no one owned up, and then one of the class turned and pointed at me. Yes, it was my idea. In spite of all the horrible things he had said and done to me. I couldn’t see him in pain or danger so I hurriedly arranged to form the human chain, and held the ground at the top as an anchor where he couldn’t see me.

As a direct result of that action, Sam and I formed a close bond of friendship which lasts to this day. It turned out that Sam’s home life was not a happy one, and he was a very unhappy boy who took his frustration out in the only way he knew because he saw it at home.

I wonder what God saw in us when He knew how bad and sinful we were? We gave Him no time, and no reason for Him to like us, but He didn’t push back. He loved us enough to do the only thing that would work. He took our messed up lives to the cross where they were sacrificed along with Him, the one who had never sinned. By dying in our place, He showed us the greatest love that He could and we would ever know.

The question left hanging in the air is, “what will we do about this Jesus?” Will we continue to ignore Him, or form a link straight to the one who not only saved us, but died for us? Either way the choice is ours. There is no third way.

First Do No Harm

You will recognise these words from the beginning of the Hippocratic Oath, which is taken by student doctors around the world, and ingrained into their minds even before they touch a patient. The reason is clear. If you can’t make the patient any better, then at least don’t do them any harm. Oh that as believers we would take the lesson to heart.




Some Christians are so used to ‘speaking the truth in love’ that they cannot, or will not, hold their tongue when they should. After all, the argument goes, it’s in the Bible, so it must be right. I would suggest that when the truth is really spoken in love, only good will be done. After all, God does not, and will not, do harm to His own witness. He may convince and convict of the sin in our lives through the Holy Spirit, but He can do that without our feeble attempts to speak for Him in a misguided ‘in love’ pretence.




Sadly, I have come across very few Christians who are loving or lovely, when they speak their version of the truth ‘in love’.

But God

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good... Genesis 50:20 NIV

That little word ‘but’ must be one of the most used and abused in our language, and we all know that children use it to full advantage when ‘negotiating’ with their parents to get what they want. We did it ourselves, didn’t we, and not always for the right motives. We know the story behind this Bible verse. Joseph is in a position of power and authority some years after his brothers threw him into a pit, and then sold him to a passing caravan, never to see him again. Or so they thought.

Fast forward and those same brothers are facing a brother they don’t recognise, and Joseph has the power to make their lives miserable, or even end them altogether. But something had happened to Joseph in those dark years. God had to do a work in his life first, and then come the words of our text! If you want a great read and full insight to this story, I would recommend that you read the book “God Meant It For Good” by R T Kendall.

The lesson and application are clear for us today. Times come along in our life when all we see is the harm, but in later time, sometimes years, we can see that all along our gracious God intended it for good, but also along the way He had to teach us some tough lessons to get our heart just right for that good time in the future when it eventually came in God’s time. One Bible commentator calls this verse: “The classic statement of God’s sovereignty over the affairs of men”. Couldn’t have said it any better!

Turkeys Don't Vote for Christmas

A report out today suggests that alcohol abuse costs each adult in Scotland £900 each year! That's each adult, whether they are heavy or light drinkers, or who take no alcohol at all. Staggering isn't it? I could think of many good ways that money could be used in the NHS. This is sometimes referred to in the media as 'Scotland's shame'.

This abuse takes the form of domestic violence by a usually tanked up father on his children after their team loses a match, and also husband to his wife. This can happen without the man going out of the house! It will be the effects of an argument which could not be defused outside the pub, because all and any reason is lost. These again, usually young people, find themselves in the local A&E department with injuries of their own making, causing even more trouble for the staff and other 'normal' people who need urgent medical attention- which is not of their own making. We all have experience of people coming to work still 'under the influence' of the night before, and his or even her workmates having to cover for them. 

The services who have to deal with the many ways alcohol abuse affects folks, are people like, doctors, nurses, police, fire crews, ministers, priests, husbands, wives, children and the list could go on. Ask any of these abused people if something should be done and they will shout, YES!

Governments in Scotland and Westminster have looked at the problem seriously, and have suggested a 'minimum pricing policy' be brought in as soon as possible. Independent sources say there is a clear link between the price of alcohol and the abuse suffered by innocent people.

Now for the turkeys. No harm to the real turkey, but they are not the brightest animal in the kingdom, and are seen to be slow and an easy mark for someone looking for a nice meal at Christmas and Easter. However, there are other turkeys out there who obviously would not vote for Christmas, or in this case vote for a curtailment of their lifestyle or profits. People like the supermarket who might make a small reduction in profit. The publican who sees his customer base (and then his profit) drop. The brewery that sees its production affected. Do you see the common theme? It's not the harm alcohol does, or the innocents who suffer, its the profit and loss accounts... oh diddums.... Like you, I have seen some of these 'good' people in the news saying (in the best accents, and trying to look educated beyond the many clever people who conducted the study) '.. look here, there is no scientific evidence that raising the base price of alcohol will help these unfortunate people'! Eh?? What??? I remember the same arguments being raised when there was the prospect that smoking might be banned in public places. History tells its own story on that one. 

Obviously, turkeys don't vote for Christmas, so I don't really expect anything less from the supermarkets, publicans or brewerys, but please, please don't make the mistake of thinking we are ALL turkeys. Oh, there is another big bird who is probably just as daft as a turkey, and that's the 'let's bury our head in the sand', Ostrich!! I wonder if the ostrich has a vote?